Shawn Kelley asked for a couple extra pitches after completing a simulated inning at Safeco Field on Wednesday.

Can’t blame the Seattle Mariners reliever for wanting to spend a little more time on that mound after spending the last 10 months off it.

“I felt good. I still have to continue to get my arm strength,” Kelley said. “But I was basically looking at throwing all my pitches and not having any pain and having some decent command. I achieved all of that, I felt like, so it was a good day.”

Kelley threw about 20 pitches, mixing in his slider and changeup with his fastball against Mariners hitters Chris Gimenez, Luis Rodriguez and Ryan Langerhans. The right-hander is tentatively scheduled to throw another simulated inning before Seattle’s game against the Chicago White Sox on either Saturday or Sunday, and said if all continues to go well, he could be sent out for a rehab assignment as early as next week.

Kelley is still on track for a June 1 return from the 60-day disabled list, where he has resided since undergoing Tommy John surgery on Sept. 1. He was originally placed on the DL with elbow inflammation on June 25 of last season, and hasn’t pitched in a game since June 15.

Wednesday was another step toward doing that again. Kelley said the day’s throwing session was a nice building block after the bullpen sessions he threw in Peoria, Ariz., as part of extended spring training.

“It’s good to finally be out on the mound, and (to) have a hitter in the box that’s actually swinging the bat is a big step,” Kelley said. “Obviously, rehabbing when there’s a scoreboard and counts and hitters and working my way back here are all equally important. But this is a big step because I felt like I kind of conquered being able to throw a bullpen and recover from that, and be effective and get out of the bullpen what I need to get out of it. It’s a good next step.

“Once a hitter gets in there, there’s a little bit more of something on the line and a little bit higher level of energy exerted. It was good, because you can only get so much out of throwing bullpens.”

Manager Eric Wedge agreed.

“It’s big to get on the mound, first to start throwing bullpens is a step, but it’s a significant step as well to get on the mound and face hitters,” Wedge said. “Just being out there on the field is a big step. But he really looked good today.”

Kelley’s not the only Mariners reliever eyeing a return to the diamond. David Aardsma has completed four rehab assignments at Triple-A Tacoma, but is currently resting a sore forearm and will be shut down for a couple days before heading out for another outing in the minors.

Aardsma said he noticed the forearm pain after his second rehab appearance.

“It was just coming on a little bit,” Aardsma said. “It’s one of those things that crept up a little bit. It wasn’t too bad, and then it got a little tighter and tighter.

“We’re being real cautious with it and it’s getting better every day. Just take a little time and don’t let it become something bigger.”

Aardsma had offseason surgery to repair the labrum in his left hip, and Wedge originally thought the closer would need three or four rehab outings before rejoining the team. But Aardsma has struggled somewhat, and Wedge said last week that he isn’t quite ready yet to pitch in a Major League game again.

Aardsma said he’s frustrated by the most recent setback, though still chalked up his recent rehab outings as progress. He also said the cold weather in a couple of Tacoma’s road games may have hurt his cause.

“It was pretty bad. It was really cold a couple of nights in Tacoma, and Salt Lake and Reno were really bad,” Aardsma said. “The wind chill was in the teens one night and it hailed the day of one game. It was tough, and that could have contributed to it.”

GUTIERREZ BATS, PLAYS CF IN TACOMA

Franklin Gutierrez played five innings of center field and went 0-for-3 in his second rehab appearance as he recovers from a year-long bout with irritiable bowel syndrome.

Wedge said Gutierrez will be Tacoma’s designated hitter on Wednesday night, and that he’ll continue to alternate between center field and DH.

“We’re on tap with him, which is nice,” Wedge said. “It’s nice to see him go out and play. Look forward to being able to seeing him play here.”

WORM BURNERS

Former Mariners reliever Mark Lowe was recalled from Triple-A Round Rock and added to the Rangers’ 25-man roster prior to Wednesday’s game. … Milton Bradley was back in Seattle’s lineup and playing left field after serving a one-game suspension on Tuesday for his ejection from Saturday’s game against Boston. … Eight of Seattle’s 14 wins have been comeback victories, tied for second-most in the American League with Cleveland and Toronto. Kansas City leads the league with 10 come-from-behind wins.